My Honest Review of the Original AirPods: Are They Worth It in 2025?

My Honest Review of the Original AirPods: Are They Worth It in 2025?

I've been a loyal fan of wired headphones for years, but I recently decided to give wireless earbuds a try. The experience was a game-changer, and I'm excited to share my thoughts on the original AirPods.

I've had my fair share of headphones over the years, and I've always been impressed by the quality of Apple's products. So, when I got my hands on the original AirPods, I was expecting great things. And, for the most part, they delivered.

The packaging is, well, Apple-esque - a sleek white box with the AirPods logo on the front and the Apple logo on the sides. Inside, you'll find the earbuds, the charging case, and a Lightning cable (or USB Type-C, depending on your model). It's a nice touch that the case has a little pocket for some paperwork, but I would have loved to see some stickers included.

I immediately started carrying it in a silicone sleeve, and my dad even asked me what kind of soap it was - it does kind of resemble a mini bar of soap in shape. When I opened the case with a quick finger swipe, I saw the earbuds staring back at me, snug in there thanks to the magnets. The charging indicator is a nice green when they're fully charged, and it turns red when they're running low - just like my iPhone.

The charging case also shows up in my widgets, which is a nice bonus. I'm really impressed with the design - it's sleek, there's no wobble or creaks, and it's just plain cool-looking.

The back of the case has a button that I've only used twice - once when I first connected them to my phone, and again when a friend borrowed them and I needed to connect them to his iPhone. It was a breeze, and they showed up immediately with a 'foreign device' warning.

I've had earbuds like these for years, but with the addition of these little sensors in the earbuds, it's a game-changer. When someone's talking to me and I'm listening to music, I can just pull the earbuds out and the music stops. It's a genius feature - in the past, I'd have to manually pause the music.

Now, let's talk about the experience of using them. My ears don't hurt at all - not even a little bit. I've gotten so used to wearing these earbuds that I feel a little weird when I'm not wearing them. I've been using them every day, and they fit snugly in my ears without falling out.

Of course, I've seen my friends pull off the 'invisible earbuds' trick by wearing them under their hair, but I don't really need to do that. I usually don't have time for music or TV at work, but there have been a few instances where I've taken my earbuds with me to work after hours and listened to something while I worked.

I've connected these earbuds to my laptop countless times. The laptop MacBook Pro has been a reliable companion.

The whole process of getting started with these headphones is a breeze - no fuss, no muss. I've never connected them to an Android, and I don't plan on taking the risk. My mom's always eyeing my earbuds, and I'm pretty sure she'd 'borrow' them if I left them unattended.

As for battery life, I've been getting a week's worth of use out of them, and they charge in under an hour. There was one weird incident where one earbud died overnight while it was in the case, but that's been the only hiccup.

The Lightning cable that comes with the case is a bit of a pain. I upgraded to an iPhone 15, which uses USB Type-C, and now I've got this extra cable to carry around. It's a bit of a hassle, and I'm starting to think about upgrading to a newer model with MagSafe wireless charging.

The microphone, on the other hand, is a total letdown. I wouldn't recommend using it for phone calls, as the other person will think you're talking through a pipe. Voice and video calls are just as bad. I'm not sure what the deal is, but switching to the phone's mic is a quick fix.

After using these headphones for almost a year, I'd give them a solid 4 out of 5. They may have been released in 2019, but they're still relevant. If you're dead set on getting the original Apple earbuds, I'd recommend them. They're a great value for the price and features. If budget allows, though, you might want to consider a newer model.

Thanks for reading!

Pros:

Great value for the price and featuresStill relevant even after being released in 2019Easy to use and connect to devicesLong battery lifeConvenient charging case

Cons:

Lightning cable can be a hassleMicrophone is a letdownNo stickers included in the packaging